Pallet



S. HORWITZ Oct. 25, 1949.

PALLET 2 Sheets-Sheet -1 Filed April 24, 1946 So Zomonfiforwz'iz Oct. 25, 1949. s. HORWITZ 2,486,234

PALLET Filed April 24, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet? 3 55- QMW MM W Patefld Oct. 25, 1949 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I PALLET Solomon Horwltz, Belmont, Mass.

Application April 24, 1946, Serial No. 664,549 8 Claims (01. 248--120) This invention relates to pallets.

An object of this invention is to provide a pallet which is so constructed as to provide for the entrance of the lifting forks in any side or edge of the pallet.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pallet which may be made of relatively lightweight sheet metal which is firmly braced and which will withstand the strains to which a device of this kind is subjected.

In one form of this device, the upper and lower plates are connected together by a pair of diagonal bracing members which are formed with long openings through the webs thereof so that.

the lifting forks may be inserted from four sides of the device.

In another form of this invention the upper and lower plates are connected togetherby a central connecting member so that there will not be any obstructing braces or connecting members .between the two plates in order that the lifting forks may be freely inserted from any side or edge of the pallet.

With the foregoing objects and others which may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more specifically referred to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein are shown embodiments of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes,

variations, and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope ofthe invention as claimed.

In the drawings,

wherein similar reference characters designate of Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken on line 6-6 of Figure 5,

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on line 1-1 of Figure 4, and

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on line 88 of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings, and first to Figures 1, 2 and 3, the numerals I0 and I I designate simi- III lar upper and lower plate members which are disposed in spaced apart parallel relation and form a deck-member. The details of construction of one of these members will apply equally as well to the other member. The plate member II) comprises a flat plate I 2 which is formed with a plurality of parallel grooves I3 which are formed by pressing the plate I2 downwardly forming channeled stifien-ing members also located at opposed sides or edges, having inturned flanges at the inside. The plate I2 between pairs of the grooves I3 is formed with a plurality of circular holes I4. The flanges I5 of the holes I4 are spaced upwardly from the bottom walls I6 of the grooves I3. The upper member ID, at the ends of the grooves I3, has secured thereto angle members I! at the edges which close the ends of the grooves I3 and provide additiona1 bracing means to hold the upper member IIl against bending.

The two members I0 and I I are held in spaced apart relation and braced against bending by means of a pair of crossed channeled stiffening members or I-beams I8 and I9 which extend diagonally with respect to the plates I0 and II and intersect the stiffening members or channels I3 at the center. The plates III and II are substantially square in plan. The plates I0 and I I have the bottom walls It of the grooves I3 welded to the upper and lower flanges of the beams I8 and I9 at the points where the bottom walls I6 contact with the flanges. The beam member I8 is formed with a pair of elongated openings 20 in the web 2I thereof, leaving a centrally disposed bracing web 22.. The beam I9 is also formed with a pair of elongated openings 23 in the web 24 thereof, thereby leaving a centrally disposed bracing web 25.

- The provision of the long openings 20 and 23 on the opposite sides of the center of the pallet will permit the insertion of the lifting forks from any side of the pallet. The provision of the detents formed by holes I4 with oppositely inward- 1y extending flanges I5 provides a means whereby plugs may be inserted in the detents if desired so as to hold the boxes or other material on the top of the pallet against shifting.

Referring now to Figures 4 to 8 inclusive, there.

3 posed grooves or detents 29 forming stlflening members or channels. The body 29 is also formed with right angularly disposed grooves or detents 30 and II forming stiflening members or channels extending from the opposite edges or the body to intersect the channels forgned by grooves 29 centrally and communicating with the diagonal grooves or detents in the center of the body.

The body 23 is formed with side or edge channels having inturned flanges at the inside with an outer downwardly extending flange 32 which has extending inwardly from the lower edge thereof an inwardly extending flange 33. The flange 33, as shown in Figures and 8, underlies the bottom wall 34 of the groove 3| and the same is true of the flange at the adjacent edge of the body 23 which underlies the bottom wall of the groove or detent 30..

The body 28 is also formed with triangular cut-outs 35 and, as shown in Figures 4 and 8, each triangular cut-out 35 is defined by a downwardly extending flange 36 which has extending from the lower edge thereof a right angular horizontal flange 31. There is a cut-out 35 between a diagonal detent 29 and an adjacent right angular detent or groove 30 or 3|. The two plate members 26 and 21 are held in spaced apart relation by a cylindrical spacer 38 which is formed at the opposite ends thereof with annular flanges 39 and 30. The flanges 39 and 40 are welded or otherwise flrmly secured to the bottom walls ll of the diagonal detents 29 and the bottom walls 34 of the right angular detents 30 and 3|.

By providing a pallet as shown in Figures 4 to 8 inclusive, there are no obstructions between the two plate members with the exception of the central connecting member 23, so that the lifting iorks may be freely inserted from any side or edge of the pallet. The pallet shown in Figures 4 to 8 inclusive, is designed for holding or i'airly lightweight material.

What I claim is:

. 1. A pallet construction comprising a pair of vertically spaced apart parallel deck members and formed with a pair of integral inturned edge flanges disposed in inwardly facing relation to the opposite member, U-shaped upwardly opening instrucktransverse channels on each of said members, and supporting means fixed between each oi said deck members fixed to the bight portions of said transverse channels and, having such construction that all four sides of the pallet will be open.

2. A pallet construction comprising a pair of vertically spaced apart parallel deck members and formed with integral inturned edge flanges disposed in inwardly facing relation to the oppo site member, U-shaped upwardly opening instruck transverse channels on each of said members, and supporting means fixed between each of said deck members fixed to the bight portions of said transverse channels, said supporting means including diagonally disposed beams formed with elongated openings in the web thereof and providing openings on all four sides of the device [for entrance of lifting forks from any side.

3. A pallet construction comprising a pair of vertically spaced apart parallel deck members and formed with integral inturned edge flanges on each of said members disposed in inwardly facing relation to the opposite member, U-shaped instruck transverse channels on each of said members, and supporting means fixed between each of said deck members fixed to the bightportlons of said transverse channels, said supporting means including a centrally disposed cylindrical member and outwardly extending peripheral flanges on said cylindrical member.

4. A pallet comprising a pair of spaced parallel plates having depressed inwardly extending grooves across the same forming stiflening channels and flanged openings extending inwardly between said channels, and flanged members connecting the plates and leaving all four sides open.

5. A pallet comprising a .pair of spaced parallel plates having depressed inwardly extending grooves across the same forming stiflening channels and flanged openings extending inwardly between said channels, and a pair of crossed I- beams disposed diagonally between and secured to said plates, said beams havingelongated openings longitudinally spaced in the webs thereof on either side of the points of crossing thereof.

6. In a pallet, a pair of spaced parallel plates and a pair of crossed diagonally disposed grooves forming channeled stiffening members and intersecting supports between and secured to said plates, said supports having elongated openings therein.

7. In a pallet a pair of spaced parallel plates having central intersecting transverse and diagonal flanged channels forming reinforcing and stifiening members across the plates, and a flanged member having the flanges thereof secured to the inner faces of opposed plates leaving all four sides of the plates open therebetween.

8. In a pallet a deck member comprising upper and lower spaced parallel plates, a plurality of intersecting transverse and diagonal flanged channels reinforcing and stifie'ning said plates, certain of said transverse and diagonal channels intersecting at the center, and flanged members between said plates and having the flanges thereof secured to said plate members to hold them in opposed parallel relation.

SOLOMON HORWITZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Cahners Feb. 20, 1945 

